Development of a tailored, telehealth intervention to address chronic pain and heavy drinking among people with HIV infection: integrating perspectives of patients in HIV care.

BACKGROUND: Chronic pain and heavy drinking commonly co-occur and can infuence the course of HIV. There have been no interventions designed to address both of these conditions among people living with HIV (PLWH), and none that have used telehealth methods. The purpose of this study was to better understand pain symptoms, patterns of alcohol use, treatment experiences, and technology use among PLWH in order to tailor a telehealth intervention that addresses these conditions SUBJECTS: Ten participants with moderate or greater chronic pain and heavy drinking were recruited from a cohort of patients engaged in HIV-care (Boston Alcohol Research Collaborative on HIV/AIDS Cohort) and from an integrated HIV/primary care clinic at a large urban hospital. METHODS: One-on-one interviews were conducted with participants to understand experiences and treatment of HIV, chronic pain, and alcohol use. Participants’ perceptions of the infuence of alcohol on HIV and chronic pain were explored as was motivation to change drinking. Technology use and treatment preferences were examined in the fnal section of the interview. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and uploaded into NVivo® v12 software for analysis. A codebook was developed based on interviews followed by thematic analysis in which specifc meanings were assigned to codes. RESULTS: A number of themes were identifed that had implications for intervention tailoring including: resilience in coping with HIV; autonomy in health care decision-making; coping with pain, stress, and emotion; understanding treatment rationale; depression and social withdrawal; motives to drink and refrain from drinking; technology use and capacity; and preference for intervention structure and style. Ratings of intervention components indicated that participants viewed each of the proposed intervention content areas as “helpful” to “very helpful”. Videoconferencing was viewed as an acceptable modality for intervention delivery CONCLUSIONS: Results helped specify treatment targets and provided information about how to enhance intervention delivery. The interviews supported the view that videoconferencing is an acceptable telehealth method of addressing chronic pain and heavy drinking among PLWH.UH2 AA026192 - NIAAA NIH HHSPublished versio

Numerical Analysis of the Reaction-diffusion Equation for Soluble Starch and Dextrin as Substrates of Immobilized Amyloglucosidase in a Porous Support by Using Least Square Method

Substrates' concentration profile was studied in a porous matrix containing immobilized amyloglucosidase for glucose production. This analysis was performed by using an analytical method called Least Square Method, and the results were compared with numerical solution. Effects of effective diffusivity, Michael's constant, maximum reaction rate and initial substrate concentration were studied on Soluble Starch and Dextrin concentration in the spherical support. The outcomes revealed that Least Square Method has an excellent agreement with numerical solution, and in the center of support, substrate concentration is minimum. Increasing of effective diffusivity and Michael's constant reduced the Soluble Starch and Dextrin profile gradient

Normalization of aortic function during arousal episodes in the hibernating ground squirrel

Hypothermia is commonly used to restrict organ damage during preservation of tissue, but does not offer complete protection. Organ damage after reperfusion/rewarming is amongst others caused by an impairment of vascular properties, particularly endothelium-dependent vasodilatation. We hypothesized that hibernating small animals, which frequently cycle through periods of deep cooling (torpor) and full rewarming (arousal), employ specific mechanisms to preserve vascular function after cooling and reperfusion. Therefore we measured contraction of aortic tissue of hibernating European ground squirrels after 24 h and 7 days of torpor, arousal (1.5 h) and in non-hibernating animals. To assess the role of nitric oxide (NO), experiments were performed in the absence and presence of the NO-synthesis inhibitor, L-NMMA (10(-4) M). Maximum contraction to phenylephrine and angiotensin 11 was doubled in 7-days torpid animals without a shift in EC50, compared to the other 3 groups. Maximum contraction to KCl was doubled in 7-days torpid animals compared to the arousal group and non-hibernating animals. Relaxation to acetylcholine (ACh) and sodium nitrite in phenylephrine precontracted rings did not differ between groups. In the presence of L-NMMA, the maximum of concentration-response curves for all three vasoconstrictors was increased by about 30% in the arousal group, but unaffected in other groups. L-NNMA completely inhibited ACh-induced relaxation in 24-h torpid animals and non-hibernating animals, but only partially in 7-days torpid animals and in the arousal group. From this we conclude that vascular adaptation proceeds during torpor. Further, increased contractility of aortic tissue during long torpor returns to normal within 1.5 hours of arousal, which is associated with an increased basal NO synthesis. In addition, involvement of NO in agonist-mediated relaxation differs between the various stages of hibernation. Thus, hibernating animals have effectively developed mechanisms to preserve vascular function after cooling and rewarming. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved

549th engineer light ponton company

One of the war\u27s famed Engineer Light Ponton Companies was born on paper in Washington, D. C. on 14 January 1943, a full five months before its first soldier opened the door of the orderly room at Camp Hood, Texas. Never then realizing what a great part he would play in World War II the 549th Engineer knocked the dirt from his spikes and got ready for the great race across the States and half way \u27round the world. It was indeed to be history · and now the curtain opens on the big show ...https://digicom.bpl.lib.me.us/ww_reg_his/1007/thumbnail.jp

Versatilidad del colgajo safeno para la cobertura de los defectos de rodilla: presentación de 6 casos

Clásicamente las pérdidas de sustancia de la rodilla se resuelven mediante injertos, colgajos cutáneos o fasciocutáneos, o bien por colgajos musculares de gemelo interno o externo, según la localización y profundidad del defecto. El propósito del trabajo es destacar la creciente relevancia de los colgajos neurovaseularizados como el colgajo safeno en la rodilla, en especial para aquellos casos sin gran componente infeccioso, en los que prevalecerían las indicaciones de utilización de colgajos musculares. Presentamos 4 casos de cobertura de prótesis de rodila expuestas en la región de la tuberosidad tibial anterior y/o línea de sutura y otros 2 casos de defectos tras resección tumoral. Los casos han sido realizados durante los 3 últimos años y su seguimiento clínico es de 6 meses a 3 años. En todos los casos se resolvió el problema de cobertura.Traditionally, substance loss at the knee level is solved through skin grafts, cutaneous or fascio-cutaneous flaps or through medial o lateral gastrocnemius muscle flaps depeding on the location and deep of the defect. We highlight the increasing relevance of neurovasculariccd flaps, and specially in this region, of the saphenous flap, better in cases with minor infectious component, in which the indication would be muscular flaps. We present four clinical cases in which we used them to cover anterior tibial tuberosity and/or dehiscent of skin closure and collected during the 3 last years another two cases with cutaneous defect after tumoral resection. All have uneventful recovery. The follow-up period varied from 6 months to 3 years

Mechanisms of the evolutionary arms race between Vibrio cholerae and Vibriophage clinical isolates

This review highlights recent findings on the evolutionary arms race between the causative agent of cholera Vibriocholerae and virulent bacteriophages (phages) ICP1, ICP2, and ICP3 isolated from cholera patient stool samples. We discussmechanisms of phage resistance such as a unique phage-inhibitory chromosomal island and mutations that affect phage receptorexpression. We also discuss the molecular characterization of ICP1 and its unique CRISPR-Cas system, which it uses to combatthe phage-inhibitory chromosomal island. The role of phages in the life cycle of V. cholerae has been increasingly recognized andinvestigated in the past decade. This article will review hypotheses as to how the predator-prey relationship may have an impacton infections within individuals and on the self-limiting nature of cholera epidemics. In addition, we put forth a strategy of usingphages as an intervention to reduce household transmission of cholera within a community

Foot kinematics in patients with two patterns of pathological plantar hyperkeratosis

Background: The Root paradigm of foot function continues to underpin the majority of clinical foot biomechanics practice and foot orthotic therapy. There are great number of assumptions in this popular paradigm, most of which have not been thoroughly tested. One component supposes that patterns of plantar pressure and associated hyperkeratosis lesions should be associated with distinct rearfoot, mid foot, first metatarsal and hallux kinematic patterns. Our aim was to investigate the extent to which this was true. Methods: Twenty-seven subjects with planter pathological hyperkeratosis were recruited into one of two groups. Group 1 displayed pathological plantar hyperkeratosis only under metatarsal heads 2, 3 and 4 (n = 14). Group 2 displayed pathological plantar hyperkeratosis only under the 1st and 5th metatarsal heads (n = 13). Foot kinematics were measured using reflective markers on the leg, heel, midfoot, first metatarsal and hallux. Results: The kinematic data failed to identify distinct differences between these two groups of subjects, however there were several subtle (generally <3°) differences in kinematic data between these groups. Group 1 displayed a less everted heel, a less abducted heel and a more plantarflexed heel compared to group 2, which is contrary to the Root paradigm. Conclusions: There was some evidence of small differences between planter pathological hyperkeratosis groups. Nevertheless, there was too much similarity between the kinematic data displayed in each group to classify them as distinct foot types as the current clinical paradigm proposes

Flora Diversity, Composition And Ecology In Besiq Bermai Tropical Forest Of Damai District, East Kalimantan

Besiq Bermai Forest is part of Kalimantan forests known for vast plant diversity. The present study aimed to investigate flora diversity, composition, and ecology in Besiq Bermai Forest to support the management of biodiversity and forest conservation. Thirteen plots were established with different sizes of plots (100 m x 20 m plots for trees; 40 m x 5 m plots for saplings; and 5 m x 5 m plots for understory). Data recorded included plant species name and individual number of each plant species. Data analysed were Shannon-Wiener diversity index, Relative Density, Relative Frequency, Relative Dominance and Important Value Index. The principal component analysis (PCA) was performed to determine relationship between edaphic components and flora occurrence. The results showed that there were 93 species of trees (belonging to 48 genera and 22 families), 112 species of saplings (belonging to 62 genera and 43 families), and 48 species of understory (belonging to 28 genera and 20 families). Shannon-Wiener diversity index (H') were 6.05, 6.25 and 3.26 for tree, saplings and understory, respectively. The most common family for tree and saplings in the forest ecosystem in this area was Dipterocarpaceae (Shorea spp). Species of tree with the highest importance value index were Dillenia excelsa, Syzygium sp. and Shorea parvifolia. The highest importance value index for species of saplings were Macaranga triloba and Shorea parvifolia; and for species of understory were Phrynium jagorianum. Ecological (edaphic) factors affecting the occurence and establishment of flora in Bermai forest were total N and C/N ratio. The present study has implication for the management of biodiversity and forest conservation

Deworming Campaign in Eastern Afghanistan – Prevalence of Intestinal Parasites and Adoption of Treatment Strategy

Purpose: To estimate the prevalence and species of intestinal parasites in an Afghan community as well as to establish appropriate treatment method for each of the detected pathogens.Methods: Parasitological examination of stool samples collected from 777 children aged 1-17 years, treated in Ghazni Provincial Hospital (eastern Afghanistan) conducted in the period 2012 - 2013 made it possible to implement dedicated antiparasitic treatment.Results: Of 312 children (40.2 % of the examined group; p &lt; 0.05) infected with nematodes (n = 154, 19.7 %), cestodes (n = 90, 11.6 %), trematodes (n = 16, 2.1 %), and protozoa (n = 135, 17.4 %), 67 were diagnosed with co-infections (mainly ascariasis + giardiasis, ascariasis + hymenolepiasis, giardiasis + hymenolepiasis, ascariasis + giardiasis + hymenolepiasis) and received complex therapy (albendazole + metronidazole, albendazole + praziquantel, metronidazole + praziquantel, and albendazole + metronidazole + praziquantel).Conclusion: Owing to high prevalence of multiple co-infections among inhabitants of the Afghan community, it seems that a mass deworming campaign with a single-dose chemotherapy (albendazole 400 mg or mebendazole 500 mg) may prove ineffective in eradicating intestinal parasites in the local population.Keywords: Afghanistan, Intestinal parasites, Hymenolepiasis, Ascariasis, Giardiasis, Metronidazole, Albendazole, Praziquantel, Mebendazole, Dewormin

Hepatoprotective Effects of Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum) Seed Cakes during the Chicken Broiler Fattening

The objective of this work was to verify the hepatoprotective effects of Silybum marianum seed cakes in feed mixtures used for the fattening of chicken broilers to heavier weights. Part of the experiment was to verify the preventive effect of such modified feed mixtures with the use of chlortetracycline medication. The experiment was carried out on 180 ROSS 308 broiler chickens. The chickens were fed complete feed mixtures containing 0.0% (K), 0.2% (P1 and 1.0% (P2) of Silybum marianum seed cakes. The cakes used contained 2.95% of silymarin. On the 44th day of fattening half of the chickens from every group were supplied with chlortetracycline medicated water at a dose of 2 g kg1 live weight. The selected biochemical indices were observed: cholesterol (Chol), glutamyl transferase (GMT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alanine aminotransferase (ALT). On the 52nd day of the test, six chickens from each group were euthanized and their liver was taken for histological examination. Adding Silybum marianum seed cakes resulted in a non-significant decrease in the chickens' live weight and in the feed conversion in both experimental groups compared to the control group. The cholesterol levels were highly significantly lower (p p p p p p p < 0.01) the content of lipids and increased the content of glycogen in the liver of both experimental groups